More B.C. stuff.

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B.C. are trying to encourage their ride leaders to organise rides through the Autumn. Several leaders have said they would, but would like proper cold / dark weather kit supplied. It’s pretty much been a case of “you can’t have any dedicated kit from us, use your own”. Well I think I know what my take on this will be. Two words, the first rhymes with duck, the second one is the opposite of on. They really are taking the monumental pee.
 

Slick

Guru
Shame. Hopefully there will still be plenty willing to carry on regardless.
 

Slick

Guru
I always assumed that it was volunteers anyway, but I suppose any eruption of existing conditions isn't good.
 
OP
OP
Racing roadkill
I always assumed that it was volunteers anyway, but I suppose any eruption of existing conditions isn't good.
Up until a couple of years ago, we were paid. Then that stopped, but they still supplied decent kit, and bits and bobs if you asked. Now they don’t even do that, expect you to take the wear and tear on the bike ‘on the chin’ do more rides, and not supply the kit to do what they want us to do. There are several other extremely unwise things they’ve brought in, in the last couple of years, that have resulted in downright dis respectful ‘playground politics’. Those of us that know what we’re about, are ( quite rightly) telling them to get stuffed en masse, and those that are left have their hearts in the right place, but....... I’ve had enough, I’m oot.
 

Slick

Guru
Up until a couple of years ago, we were paid. Then that stopped, but they still supplied decent kit, and bits and bobs if you asked. Now they don’t even do that, expect you to take the wear and tear on the bike ‘on the chin’ do more rides, and not supply the kit to do what they want us to do. There are several other extremely unwise things they’ve brought in, in the last couple of years, that have resulted in downright dis respectful ‘playground politics’. Those of us that know what we’re about, are ( quite rightly) telling them to get stuffed en masse, and those that are left have their hearts in the right place, but....... I’ve had enough, I’m oot.
Yeah fair enough really. So much for filtering the cash down to grass roots.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
And BC wonder why so many people would rather drive a car.
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
IMO BC's approach to this whole area has farked over a lot of existing local leisure cycling groups, luring their volunteers with the attractions of some pay and support at first and then slowly withdrawing it, resulting in dissent, disenchantment and ultimately dissolution. The places that have survived this disruption best have been those where another organisation has stepped in to continue the support or those in cycling-friendly areas. I really do not understand what BC or its funders were hoping to achieve with these projects which look almost designed to get existing groups hooked on short-term funding and then crash and burn - was BC just deluded enough to think they'd get replacement funding forevermore?

BC produced a lot of questionable statistics about how many people they had started or restarted cycling which IIRC seemed not to count much cycling with non-BC groups, so they probably suspected where some riders were really coming from. If anyone checks how many groups survive after BC withdraws completely, I suspect it'll only be to ask for money to repeat the disruption.
 

Alan O

Über Member
Location
Liverpool
B.C. are trying to encourage their ride leaders to organise rides through the Autumn. Several leaders have said they would, but would like proper cold / dark weather kit supplied. It’s pretty much been a case of “you can’t have any dedicated kit from us, use your own”. Well I think I know what my take on this will be. Two words, the first rhymes with duck, the second one is the opposite of on. They really are taking the monumental pee.
I ride with a number of BC ride leaders, and I really was surprised how much demand is made of them for so little reward. The ones I know are good folk, and all I think they really want is to be treated with respect as valued helpers - a few items of clothing each year, which is actually required for them to continue to lead their rides, seems the least they deserve.
 
OP
OP
Racing roadkill
I ride with a number of BC ride leaders, and I really was surprised how much demand is made of them for so little reward. The ones I know are good folk, and all I think they really want is to be treated with respect as valued helpers - a few items of clothing each year, which is actually required for them to continue to lead their rides, seems the least they deserve.
Quite right. We’ve got a lot of responsibility, and generally don’t get the support ( clothing, bits and bobs for the bike to mitigate wear and tear etc) to be asked to do Autumn rides, then refused kit for the task, is just taking the wee.
 
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